I would agree, CJ. I wouldn't call it all crap, but I think the value of games has been boinked for a while now. I recognize games cost a bundle to make, but for a 4-6 hour game, I'd be way cooler paying $30-40 than $60. Conversely, for a game like SMTIV, which will likely last well over 60 hours (or more, if you want it to), I'm okay with paying a little more. Plus I like to give Atlus money.

I just think that games shouldn't all be locked at "this is the price for this system." I had no problem making my parents pay $85 for Phantasy Star IV when it came out :)

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I dislike the whole hours/dollar comparison thing because it's really easy to pad out a game and make it longer without actually making it any better. And a lot of companies do exactly that when people start comparing hours of gameplay. The end result is many hours of rather tedious repetitive gameplay, and that's even worse than a short game in my opinion.

No, I think you make a good point. I guess there's a variety of factors involved, at least for me when considering a purchase. I'd never buy MG: Rising at $60, but the moment it's $30 or 40? I'd be happy to pay that price. I think it's quality vs hours vs.... other stuff. Totes complex.

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I actually think I enjoyed MGR enough to justify that, but that's kind of the exception. It's why RPGs are safe bets, at worst you can't say you didn't get your dollars to hours worth (though more and more this is becoming an issue where TIME itself is the most significant cost of all), whereas if I'm not having an absolute blast with a 5-10 hour action game it's going to feel like a colossal waste. Especially if there's no replay value either.

I do think that the price tag is high because the cartridge is one of those that have a whole lot of memory. I mean, the game looks gorgeous and really detailed.

This is like some kind of price preview for when the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. 4 comes out...

Unless Namdai ends up setting the price point (hello $60 bux + overpriced DLC) I doubt it'll hit past $40. SSB4 is practically guaranteed to be one of those Nintendo Evergreens that just stays around forever and a day so there's no real reason to jack up the price unless peripherals are involved since it'll pay itself off eventually (of course, just like every Nintendo Evergreen ever it'll never come down in price either).

What irks me is that this feels like the kind of luxury tax that Squeenix puts on their games, just because they can.

Context is important to remember, it was shit with SE because while FFIII and FFIV's remakes may've justified it, and arguably maybe newer games like TWEWY as well, they just started slapping it indiscriminately on all games when no one else was doing it. There IS an argument to be made that were were long overdue for price hikes on handheld games, the fact $40's the standard with $30 being budget pricing this time around speaks volumes, but you're not making a very compelling case when you release compromised (and if I recall correctly censored in the case of DQ) versions of games, going so far as axing a lot of VA with Covenant of the Plume. Premium price should mean premium treatment, and if you're going to localize it like when Atlus offers a game for cheaper (Growlanser IV) then why the fuck are we supposed to pay $5-10 more for your games?

Incidentally, I think VP:CotP was the last $40 game from SE on DS. I hear that flopped badly, and that might well have been a wake up call that their model was busted.

It takes them an extra year and a half to bring Devil Survivor Overclocked to Europe despite it being English-only (i.e., exactly the same as the US version) but somehow they managed to add several game-breaking bugs in the process.

It takes them an extra year and a half to bring Devil Survivor Overclocked to Europe despite it being English-only (i.e., exactly the same as the US version) but somehow they managed to add several game-breaking bugs in the process.

What a fuck up. Don't you just love region locks?

It's Ghostlight. While it's no excuse, I think it's pretty obvious at this point their releases are going to have issues. They've started licensing other companies localizations, fortunately, because when they tried their hand at it themselves it ended up worse than Ar tonelico 2. I respect what they're trying to do, ie, bring niche games to Europe, but they need more QA.

^ Since when? Canada pays US MSRP these days. Unless your taxes are like 20%, $60 is a bit of an exaggeration.

I've always found there's been a disparity with US/Can prices. I think I ended up paying close to $50 for Strange Journey new.

What irks me is that this feels like the kind of luxury tax that Squeenix puts on their games, just because they can.

Not for me, not in at least 3-4 years. Before taxes, the last game I paid more than US MSRP for was the original Devil Survivor, $40 Canadian. Maybe Strange Journey would have been as well, but I got it as a gift. In fact: SMTIV is already listed at $50 at Canadian retailers:

I've seen Squeenix do it in the past, but now I see their game prices drop faster than anything. DXHR? Dirt cheap within a year. Same with XIII-2. I'm sure I'd be able to grab Tomb Raider for $20-30 by the end of this year if I wasn't keen on just renting it instead.

Maybe Atlus wil get away with it (their games do disappear not long after release after all, so they KNOW people will shell out the $50), maybe it'll set a bad precedent. Or maybe (..hopefully?) others will try to sell their games at that price point and fail. I'd prefer not to pay that for a 3DS game as the norm, but I also like to think SMTIV is worth it...

Well I wasn't going to chime in on the discussion of the SMT price tage but seeing as how it is still going strong I'll throw out my misguided opinion on the matter.

The simple fact is JRPG's do not sell as well as other titles. Yet we all want to them localized. The people who want these games will gladly pay whatever is asked for them, when the want them (myself included), as illustrated in "completed listings" on ebay (just look up Suikoden 2).

With the aforementioned being fact, it only seems reasonable they charge a bit more IMO. I'm actually surprised we don't see this more often. And when it comes to a company like atlus that pumps out quality localizations I not only accept the price hike, I support it. If an extra 10 bucks per title helps to get more games I want to play available in a language I can comprehend I'll gladly pay.

Cost vs. hours is irrelevant to me. What is relevant, is what actually gets localized. The only way to increase odds of localization is to increase how profitable said projects are. Translating and publishing a JRPG in NA now cannot be nearly as profitable as it was 15 years ago yet we all still want to see it happen. It seems to be as simple as that to me. And when I look at that way I am fine with paying more.

It's really less that SMT4 is $50 and more that once one guy gets away with it everyone's going to try and make $50 the new standard.

That's what I'm worried about

However, I am still interested and may get it. The only SMT series I've played at all are persona and devil survivor though. Do you guys think it would be better to get Soul Hackers or SMT4 first? I know soul hackers is almost out but I still haven't even bought a 3DS yet and I've got other stuff to finish first. If I like one I'll probably pick up the other later. So which would you recommend more?